Review: Blue Lines by Toni Aleo

Blue Lines (Assassins #4) by Toni Aleo

Publication Date: December 9th 2013 by Loveswept-Random House

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

Opposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo’s latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can’t resist.

The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him—wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lies behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she’s lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test.

Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he’s been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it’s not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn’t take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it’s supposed to be all for show, the second they say “I do,” the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, and Empty Net.

My Thoughts:

This is my first Toni Aleo read and it will not be my last.  I was completely addicted to this story trying to read snippets in between work and then staying up late to finish!

Piper Allen has longed for Erik Titov for the last two years.  His brother married her sister and since then they run into each other at family get-togethers.  Trouble is Erik is a raging man-whore. He’s on the professional hockey team The Assassins’ and has no shortage of women throwing themselves at him, and he’s happy to oblige. Still, Piper sees a different side to Erik at these gatherings, one where he dotes on his niece and shows unconditional love to his family. But still Piper can’t ignore the fact that Erik never has a serious girl.  Everything changes for Piper when in a moment of weakness they spend the night together.  She hopes for more but he of course crushes that hope by telling her that night was a big mistake.  Fast forward a few weeks and Piper has the shock of finding out she’s pregnant.

Erik has always been enamored by Piper, his sweet and gorgeous sister-in-law but he’s never let himself act on anything, until one fateful night.  He can’t get Piper out of his mind since that night, and boy does he try by sleeping with tons of women.

This all started and ended with Piper Allen. She was also the reason he had been with every woman in Nashville…he was trying to forget Piper.*

His efforts do not go unnoticed by the team management and they are not happy because he’s giving the team a bad reputation.  Erik must clean up his act or he’ll be kicked off the team for good.  When Piper shows up on his doorstep months after their hot and lusty night to let him know he’s going to be a father, Erik freaks out. He’s worried he’ll be kicked off the team once it gets out, and his family will be livid with him. They all know and love Piper.  He comes up with the idea of a fake marriage just until the smoke blows over.  JERK!!!

I have to say I wanted to CUT CHOICE BODY PARTS off of Erik for a good portion of this book! He was such a gigantic prick!  Normally this would completely ruin the story for me but somehow Ms. Aleo managed to write Erik in such a way that it didn’t.  Erik’s POV shed light on his reasoning. Yes, he was a total ASSHAT, even in his head at first, BUT gradually we see him change and little bits of the great guy I knew was under all that would peek through.  He can’t help but fall for Piper; she’s sweet, impulsive and so full of life.  One thing I was SOOOOO happy about is that there was no (highlight to see spoiler) cheating once Piper and Erik “married”.  It was a condition of Piper’s, and he never betrayed it.  Thank goodness!!  

My heart bled for Piper! Oh man, did I want to do some violence to Erik for hurting her so!  He was so thoughtless and would blurt out the most insensitive things.  I was glad she stood up for herself without being bitchy. Loved Piper! Luckily for Erik, Piper can see exactly how Erik sells himself short.  She’s pretty patient with him knowing that once he removes his head from his sphincter he has a real chance at having a happy life and family with her.  At about the 50% mark Erik begins to change and I slowly fell for him.   

The super sweet HEA made my heart swell with happiness!  Toni Aleo brought out strong emotions and sucked me right in with her addictive writing! I’m definitely going back to read the rest of this series!

Favorite Quote:

“I’m hard to love but when I mess up, I promise I’ll do everything to make it better because I want you.  Only you. For the rest of my life. I love you Piper Titov, and you are mine. Marry me…again, and know that I will only love you for the rest of my existence.”*

4.5 Suns

Connect with Toni Aleo:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.

 

Review: Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth

Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth
Expected publication: December 5th 2013 by Carina Press
Purchase at Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Becca Huntley's produced the Lyndale Park Players' over-the-top Christmas show for ten years. It's a beloved Minneapolis tradition, and the theater's main fundraiser. But this year's production is in danger of being canceled when their director disappears into rehab. Good thing his directing partner steps in to save the day. Except for the minor fact that he hates everything about Christmas.

Jack Whittaker wiped this town off his shoe with his graduation tassel and never looked back. But duty compels him to fulfill Tyler's promise to direct the show. Even though it means working with Becca, the girl he always wanted, lost to Ty, but never forgot.

It'll take more than a few handfuls of tinsel to soften Jack's heart toward Becca's favorite holiday. Steamy kisses that melt the snow right off his boots are a step in the right direction. They'll both discover that Christmas is about making each other's dreams come true. But will it require sacrificing their chance at a happily-ever-after together?

My Thoughts
One of my favorite times of the year to read is definitely during the winter season, and when Christmas comes around I enjoy jumping into a good holiday story. So, thank you to Christi Barth for sending me an eCopy of Tinsel My Heart, as it marks my first holiday book for this season. What a perfect holiday romance to kick off my Christmas reading.

In Tinsel My Heart, Jack Whittaker comes back to his Minneapolis hometown to help rescue the annual holiday production of Season of Christmas, which is the town’s claim to fame. Jack has strained memories of this town and left as soon as his high school diploma was handed to him. However, because his directing partner Tyler Peterson, who was hired to direct the show, disappears to rehab, Jack is forced to face the town that looked down on him because of his poor beginnings, and save the annual production.

When he takes on the directing project, he also comes face to face with his long time high school crush Becca Huntley, who also happens to be the producer for the show. When sparks fly and production hits high gear, Becca and Jack begin to explore their feelings for one another that started over 15 years ago.

I really enjoyed this holiday love story of long time love and Christmas miracles. Becca was an easy character to fall for because of her dedication to her production staff and most importantly her grandmother. I enjoyed her backstory and hoped for a happily ever after for this loveable character.

I liked the twist on Jack’s story, seeing as he had a bit of a Christmas Grinch attitude. It was enjoyable to see his holiday icicles melt and finally come to enjoy the season.

Overall, Tinsel My Heart was filled with a good cast of characters that was supported by an interesting plot and all around enjoyable dialog. Well done!

3.5 Suns

Book Excerpt

 She picked up the end of her braid and tickled his cheek. “Told ya.”

The silken hair set off a chain reaction in his body. Blood pounded south in great, galloping leaps and bounds to pool in his crotch. Jack hadn’t experienced an insta-hard-on like that in years. He quickly shifted the black script binder across his lap.

“You’ve changed, Becca.”

“Since high school? I would hope so.” Then her lips pursed. “Okay, you’ve piqued my curiosity. Exactly how have I changed?”

“You’ve grown from a pretty girl into a beautiful woman.”

“Oh.” Her pale cheeks turned the color of ripe strawberries. It made Jack wonder if her nipples were the same color. Or would turn that color after he used his lips on them. “Um, thank you. And let me just say that adding a few pounds of pure muscle didn’t hurt you any, either.”

Interesting. Might as well push a little harder, see what developed. “Here I thought you were going to comment on my righteously masculine goatee.”

As if lifted by marionette strings, her hand rose, scraped along the end-of-day stubble on his cheeks to trace the outline of the goatee. “It, ah, makes you look devilish.”

“Want to dance with the devil?”

“What?” Her gaze flew up to meet his as her hands dropped to her lap. “You want to dance?”

Super literal people made flirting much more difficult. Jack sighed. “Metaphorically.” When she still looked bewildered, he continued. “Forget it. Do you want to have dinner with me?”

She blinked, rapidly. Looked down at her hands twisting together. “That depends.”

It wasn’t a complicated question. Jack didn’t want her take on the crisis in Syria. Why would a simple dinner invite come with conditions? “On what?”

Becca looked over both shoulders, as if to check they were still alone. Or as alone as you could get in a threehundred-seat theatre full of people milling about from the lobby to the dressing rooms. “Are you just lonely, Jack? Because of Ty?”

“I’m a grown-ass man. I can eat by myself,” he growled.

“I know. I guess my real question is, do you want to have dinner with just anyone? Or do you want to have dinner with me?” She fluttered her hands up to cover her heart.

Now he got it. Well, he didn’t get why she had the crazy female insecurity, but at least he knew what she was driving at. “I want to have dinner with you. Only you. Not because we used to be good friends. Not even because we’ve slid pretty well back into those roles. And not just dinner.” Jack grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “You’re a beautiful woman who heats me up every time you slide those cool lake eyes over me. With enough talent and know-how and passion for my business to make for interesting conversation. So what I want from you, Becca, is a date.”

To his utter surprise, she didn’t blush again. Or look away. Or for that matter, look flustered at all. Instead, she mimicked his pose, putting her hand to his mouth. Rubbed her soft thumb in a slow glide across his lower lip. Her eyes darkened from the clear blue of Lake Harriet in the summer to the darkness of a winter’s night.

“Well, why didn’t you say so? Of course I’ll go out with you.”

No matter how many he tried on for size, women never failed to confound him. Jack didn’t know what he’d said to peel off her timidity. Didn’t care, either. Just looked forward to an evening filled with more surprises from the woman he was discovering he liked even more than the girl he used to adore.

About the Author

Christi Barth earned a Master’s degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance. She is the award-winning author of the Aisle Bound series. Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page |Facebook

Cover Reveal: Coming Home by Pricilla Glenn

COMING HOME BY PRISCILLA GLENN

Adult Contemporary Romance

Expected release January 21, 2014

Goodreads

Leah Marino hasn’t been on a date in two years. After discovering the man she loved had manipulated and deceived her, she refuses to even entertain the idea of a relationship. Instead, she focuses her attention on taking care of her family, a role she’s assumed since the death of her mother and the one place she knows her kindness won't be taken advantage of again.  

When a nostalgic trip back to her childhood home results in a chance encounter with Danny DeLuca, a smart-mouthed mechanic who’s as attractive as he is mysterious, Leah's carefully cultivated walls begin to crumble. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Danny, despite his unreliable behavior and mixed signals.  

But Danny has a secret...  

One that could shake Leah's already precarious foundation and bring her world crashing down around her. Suddenly, she's faced with an incredibly difficult decision--is she willing to risk everything for the chance at finding the love she's always wanted? Or are some obstacles just too big for the heart to overcome? 

About the Author 

Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English at the middle and high school levels for the past twelve years while moonlighting as a writer, mom, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer. If you catch her when she's feeling sophisticated, she'll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she'll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry's, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson. Glenn is the author of the contemporary romance novels Back to You, Emancipating Andie, and Coming Home.

You can contact her at: 

priscilla.glenn3@gmail.com   

  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads   

Cover reveal organized by: 

AToMR Tours

Cover Reveal: Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle

Donners of the Dead by Karina Halle 

Publication Date: Feburary 24th 2014
Genres: Horror, Romance

About the book
Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive


The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.
***This is NOT New Adult***

About the Author

The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she's preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.

Author Links

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard

Waves of Fiction is so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard.  This final installment to one of my favorite series is fantastic and a must read!  Make sure to check out the awesome giveaway below!

Gabriel's Redemption (Gabriel's Inferno #3) by Sylvain Reynard

Published December 3, 2013 by Berkley Trade

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo

About the book:

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Gabriel’s Rapture and Gabriel’s Inferno comes the epic conclusion to the captivating romantic trilogy.

Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.

But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront Julianne about the subject of her presentation—research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.

In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.

My Thoughts:

What a perfect end to a series that I love.  Sylvain Reynard's writing is beautiful and he exceeded my expectations in this final installment to the Gabriel's Inferno series.

This is an incredibly romantic and thoughtful read.  The common struggles Gabriel and Julia go through as a newly married couple were written in such a realistic way that I felt every emotion and every feeling they experienced.  That's what I love most about SR's writing - his ability to make me feel SO many emotions while I read each book in this series.  His words are so powerful and touching.

Gabriel is an amazing, loving man and his Julia is so kind and compassionate.  It is impossible not to fall in love with them and their beautiful love story.  Although there is some minor drama to keep you in suspense throughout the book, it's in a non-frustrating way that I approved of.  I loved how SR incorporated chapters about other important characters in this story - it was a great way to wrap up the lives of everyone who played an important part in the series.

I can't express enough how much I adored this series, and I'm sad for it to come to an end.  Gabriel & Julia will always hold a special place in my heart as one of my all time favorite couples.  Their love story is beautiful and a must read!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Every night when I fall asleep with her in my arms, I thank God she's mine.  Every morning when I wake up, my first thought is that I'm grateful she married me.  I will never be worthy of her.  But I spend every day trying my damnedest."

5 Suns

About the Author:
I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.

I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.

I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

Twitter / Website / Goodreads / Facebook

Enter to win this fantastic giveaway!! The Louboutin winner will be gifted a Neiman Marcus gift card with shipping included. All prizes are international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Release: Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt and Carina Press

TELL ME WHEN

By Stina Lindenblatt and Carina Press

Coming January 20, 2014

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Pre-Order Amazon | Pre-Order Barnes and Noble

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class. She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.   But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again. When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her. And Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away. 

About the Author 

Born in England, Stina loves to travel, and has lived in England, the US, Canada, and Finland. She spent a semester in graduate school living in central Finland, and a summer during her undergrad degree working in Helsinki. She has a Master’s of Science degree in exercise physiology and has worked with elite athletes. In her free time, Stina is a photographer, mother of three adorable kids, and devoted wife. She currently lives in Calgary, Canada.

Website/blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway OR you can find the giveaway here.

Review: Arsen - A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher

Arsen: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher
Published August 23rd 2013

One glance was all it took…

I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.

I love a man.
No, I love two men…
I think.

One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.

I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.

But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.

My Thoughts
Wow! Arsen truly threw me for an emotional tail spin! I was not expecting to feel such conflicting turmoil after reading this heartbreaking story. It’s taken me a few days to gather some thoughts and feelings for this novel and its characters, so here’s hoping it’s not a rambling mess.

First, let me just say hats off to Mia Asher for an explosive debut! Set aside the subject matter, this author surely knows how to pen a story that will tear your heart out with deliberately slow precision and leave you speechless for days. After finishing her novel and contemplating it for days, I have to give it to this author because she really messed with my emotions! Take a bow Mia Asher. You deserve it!

I’m not going to even try to sugarcoat this bad boy. Arsen is Cathy’s story as she takes us on her self-destructive journey that ended her marriage to probably one of the most perfect fictional husbands I have ever met. See Cathy and Ben had been trying to have a baby for years, and after her fourth and final miscarriage, she makes a choice to destroy herself and Ben when she chooses to throw it all away for Arsen.

The dynamics between all three characters was nothing short of incinerating! There were moments in this book where I had to put down my eReader to just walk away and catch my breath. To see someone self-destruct, and witness the aftereffects was not only visceral but mind blowing. I tried to separate my emotions from the ongoing slaughter, but clearly that wasn’t possible. As I consider each character in this novel, I’m still amazed at how deeply I came to feel for their situation. However, I’m not quite sure if those feelings were positive or negative. I even took the time to deliberate the difference between sympathy and empathy to come to some sort of conclusion as to how I truly felt. In the end, I can simply sum up my feelings to being emotionally spent and psychologically tattered.

Cathy
“You can’t expect to play with fire and not get burned. I did, and now I’m incinerated. The thing is I wanted to be. I still do.” ~Cathy

I kept wondering if I was supposed to loathe Cathy to some degree. I don’t know if I was, but I can tell you with certainty that I didn’t hate her one bit. The empathy I felt for her was off the charts because I could not even imagine going through what she went through and come out whole in the end. I didn’t under any circumstance condone her actions, but as I witnessed this character self-destruct in the only way she could control her demise, I felt horrible for her.

I found myself searching furiously for a reason behind her choice and I can see how easily it would be to miss the deep seeded anger and resentment she had towards Ben. Being married to the perfect husband when she herself felt so inadequate and broken left her making choices that guaranteed her destruction. With Arsen, she was able to be angry and resentful, with him she could breathe again. You can’t deny someone the air they need to breathe, but that doesn't minimize the error in the source.

Arsen
“She makes me so damn happy… I live for these moments when she’s with me; when the world is left outside this room and the only person that matters is right here next to me.” ~Arsen

I had a hard time taking him seriously at first. He immediately came off as the young, reckless fireball that carelessly went after someone he should have steered clear of. His determination to take what wasn’t his to take compounded after every interaction he had with Cathy. His confrontations with Ben were both disrespectful and cringe-worthy. However, there was a moment when he had the stage and we were able to witness his inner demons and true feelings that my defenses started to topple. From beginning to end, Arsen had me conflicted, and I couldn't quite put my arms around how I should feel about it aside from pity.

Ben
“I don’t want tomorrow to come, Cathy.” His voice is hoarse with pain and he pleads.

Ben… oh Ben… What can I say about his character that was just too sweet for his own good? It was clear that heartbreak was inevitable for Ben, and I just stood there as a complicit bystander and hoped he wouldn’t be completely destroyed. I can see why people adored this character, but for me I was too busy feeling sorry for him to muster any sort of anger on his behalf. His journey from beginning to end had me feeling helpless on his behalf.

Overall, Asher did a phenomenal job with her debut novel. Her writing is flawless and her ability to draw you into her world rivals only the best. She managed to create three very real characters that not only ripped my heart to shreds but left me pining for more. Who does that? Well done Asher… Well done!

4.5 Suns

My Playlist

Try - P!nk 

Just Tonight - The Pretty Reckless 

Like a Knife - Secondhand Serenade 

Never Be the Same - Red